All the Way

by Kristi Avalon

  “Hush. Be still,” someone hissed against her ear.

  At the command, instinct and self-preservation coiled inside her. She shoved hard.

  A pair of powerful arms fastened around her firmly. A familiar whisper came against her ear. “Layla, it’s me.”

  “Blake?”

  “I’m here, baby.”

  An involuntary sob left her throat. “Thank God.”

  He lifted up her up from the ground and cursed. “Baby, you’re covered in blood. Were you shot?”

  Things had happened so fast, she hadn’t paid attention to herself. She patted the dampness coating her shoulder. No pain. “I’m okay. It must be Jack’s blood.”

  “You scared the crap out of me, Layla. I thought Johnson had you.” Tucking her against his chest, he rose to his knees. He cradled her like something precious, breakable. Irreplaceable.

  She gripped his shirt with her fists. “Wh-where’s Robby?”

  “Layla, slow down. Talk to me.”

  “ Robby .” She rose unsteadily. “Where’s my brother?”

  “He’s fine. A little shook up maybe. We all are.” Blake nodded across the street. “He’s with Agent Staid.”

  “I need to see him.”

  “You will.” But Blake wouldn’t let her move until he’d checked every inch of her. Eventually he seemed satisfied there was no blood gushing out of her or broken bones.

  He helped steady her, his grip tight around her waist. Almost too tight. She looked up at him.

  Lit by red and blue flashes, his expression seemed eerily stone-faced. Then she saw the swell of liquid along his bottom lashes, the dampness at the outer corners of his eyes. He looked ashen beneath his tan.

  “Layla…” His voice cracked. Clearing his throat, he tried again. “When you left me at Frank’s shop, I was sick over it. I ran after you, not to stop you but to say I understand how you felt last year. I’m sorry it took something this bad to make me realize what you need from me. Not what I thought you needed.”

  “I can’t go back, Blake.” She blinked away a rush of tears. “I can’t go back to the way things were between us this past year. It was awful. I don’t know why I kept pushing you away. I was scared to depend on someone, to need someone like I need you.”

  He flattened her hand over his heart and covered it with his own. “I’m sorry for repeating the past. I never realized how much I let you down, how scared you must’ve been. When you ran out on me, my whole world fell apart.”

  “How do we fix this?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to try like hell.” When his gaze lifted to hers, a tortured look came into his eyes. He crushed her against him. “Baby,” he whispered. “I can’t do this without you.”

  “What can’t you do without me?”

  “Life.”

  Overwhelmed with emotion she released a watery laugh. She understood. Completely.

  She welcomed the press of his lips, the slide of his tongue against hers. She grasped for the words to say she wanted him, too. For life. Forever.

  When he pulled away suddenly, she blinked her eyes open. Blake’s gaze was trained on something beyond her shoulder. “Layla, look behind you.”

  She turned.

  Her brother stood a few feet away beside Agent Staid. “Robby.” She rushed over and threw her arms around him. “You’re okay!”

  Robby’s glance darted between the two of them in wide-eyed disbelief. “What are you guys doing here?”

  “We came to rescue you,” she said.

  “But, you shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous.”

  “Which is why we came,” Blake returned, slight admonishment in his tone. “Your sister’s been worried sick about you. You should’ve told us what you were doing.”

  Rob rolled his eyes. “As if you’d let me spy on a cop with an ex-drug dealer.”

  “For good reason,” Blake said low. “You could’ve been hurt, even killed.”

  Ignoring that, Rob asked, “Did you guys come to Sturgis together?”

  Blake threw him a look. “You really think I’d let your sister come here alone?”

  Rob grinned. “No way, dude.” Then his smile dimmed. He flicked his glance to Layla. “I came here to nail Johnson.”

  “I know,” Layla said. “But Jack was using you, Robby. He wanted to kidnap you to get to me.”

  “That’s what Agent Staid just told me.” Robby’s jaw jutted out defiantly, his lip ring glinting in red and blue light. “I wouldn’t have let him, you know.”

  Layla’s expression softened. “You’re braver than I gave you credit for. Still, you never should’ve had to do this for me.”

  He crossed his arms. “It was the only way to get Jack to leave you alone.”

  “Listen,” Blake interrupted gently, “we can talk about this later. Rob, to get you home in time, we need to leave tonight. If you miss your court date, all this will have been for nothing.”

  Robby turned to Agent Staid, who shrugged away from the brick building where he’d been leaning. “Can I go now?” Rob asked.

  The agent nodded, shaking Rob’s hand. “You did well. Handled yourself like a pro. You’ve made a difference here today, and we appreciate your help.”

  Layla had never seen her brother’s chest puff up the way it did under the agent’s praise. Maybe Robby truly had found his calling. Maybe it was time to give him the acceptance he deserved. “Agent Staid is right. You’re amazing. I’m so proud of you.”

  Her brother reddened under the compliment, but the way his eyes shone told her he was pleased. “Thanks, Layla. I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “I’m so relieved this is over.” Her head swam with exhaustion.

  Blake explained, “Tanner brought his truck, so we can all ride home together and put the motorcycles in the back. Sound like a plan?”

  Robby nodded vigorously. “Four days on a bike is a pain in the ass. Literally.”

  “The truck gassed up and ready to go.” Blake moved toward Agent Staid as he told Layla, “Why don’t you two find Tanner? He should be around the corner. I’ll catch up with you in a minute.”

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “I want the satisfaction of seeing Johnson cuffed in the back of a squad car.”

  “Blake—”

  He kissed her to stop her protest. “I’ll just be a minute. I want to see for myself that he’s out of our lives for good. It’s the closest thing to payback I’ll ever get for losing my parents.”

  How could she say no to that? “Promise me you won’t strangle him.”

  “I’ll behave.”

  “One murder rap is enough. You don’t need to add to the count.”

  He paused, then nodded. “Point taken.”

  “Blake.”

  He stopped mid-stride and turned back to her.

  For some reason, she felt she had to tell him one more thing. “Thanks for being here for me.”

  With one index finger he made an X over his heart and winked at her. Then he left with Agent Staid toward the crush of cop cars and barrage of lights.

  “Are you and Blake, like, back together?” Rob asked.

  “I think so.” She smiled at her brother. Looping her arm through his, she strode with him through the alleyway toward the streetlamp light shining like a halo at the end. “It seems we aren’t much good without each other.”

  “It’s totally time you two figured it out.”

  She sent him a sidelong glance. “I take it you knew that.”

  “You could’ve just asked me. I’d have told you that ages ago. But noooo. ”

  “Robby.”

  “You had to be annoying and miserable.”

  “ Robby .”

  “Then you dated Jack. And made me miserable, too.”

  Layla sighed with regret. “Will you ever forgive me?”

  “If you quit calling me Robby. Can’t you call me Rob? Is that so hard?”

  Layla smiled affectionately at him. “I guess it
took me awhile to realize you’d really grown up. I meant what I said. I am truly proud of you.”

  Rob nodded. “I didn’t mean to freak you out, but I had to come up here. It felt like the right thing to do.” His voice became deeper, like he was imparting something serious. “I’m not going to be around forever. I want to know you’re safe.”

  He could be so adorable sometimes. “Thanks for looking out for me.”

  “I wanted Jack out of our lives. I’d do it again. Anything to get him to stay away.”

  A long shadow stretched out in front of them. They both stopped in their tracks. Layla followed its source to a man who stood in a cocky stance blocking the exit. She stumbled, hearing the familiarity in his voice when he spoke. “Is that right, Little Robby? Let’s put that theory to the test.”

  Blood dripped from his shoulder onto the ground.

  With a trembling gasp, Layla clutched her brother’s arm. Paling, her voice came out in a whisper. “ Jack .”

  Chapter 27

  “Are you the one who encouraged Rob to go into law enforcement?” Agent Staid asked Blake as they hurried along the street now crowded with cops.

  Blake nodded. “He needed a future to invest himself in. Something that would appeal to his take-action side, besides martial arts. Considering he got busted for underage drinking, I figured it might instill him with a sense of right versus wrong. He really took to it. I think Layla is finally realizing how much it’s helped him.”

  “Good instincts on your part. Rob is a great kid, and I was glad to have him on my team. He talked a lot about you and his sister.” The agent nodded to Blake. “You two have done an excellent job raising him.”

  Blake fell silent. He’d never considered that he and Layla had done exactly that—raised Rob together.

  An unexpected impulse swelled inside him, a combination of instinct, love and pride, as he thought about creating a family with Layla. Raising their own children the way they’d done with Rob. The image called to the deepest parts of him. He’d never had that strong desire before now. Then again, he hadn’t found the love of his life until Layla. Blake pulled out from under his thoughts long enough to say, “Thank you.”

  Then the happy picture fractured. A man Blake recognized as Johnny Carlos raced up to Agent Staid. Between panting breaths, Carlos said, “Johnson is gone.”

  Blake froze. Denial flashed through him.

  Agent Staid took charge. “What the hell happened?”

  “Look for yourself.” Johnny pointed toward an abandoned vehicle. “His car’s empty.”

  “Didn’t anyone track him?”

  “He flashed his lights. I approached Rob. Then his sister screamed. When I turned to find Johnson holding Layla like a shield, I clipped him in the shoulder. Figured he was down for the count. Now he’s gone.”

  Agent Staid spoke into his headset. “Get me backup. Now . Johnson’s MIA.”

  Blake stared in horror at the alleyway where he’d left Rob and Layla. “I know where he is.”

  “We’re right behind you,” Agent Staid said.

  Blake had already broken into a run. He rounded the corner just in time to see Jack’s gun pointed at Rob. Layla struggled against Johnson’s grip.

  Terror slammed into Blake’s chest. The bottom dropped out of his heart.

  In a tone threaded with steel, Blake made a single demand. “Jack, let her go.”

  Agent Staid followed with his own dictates. “Officer Johnson, you are under arrest. Drop your weapon. Come forward slowly, hands where I can see them.”

  Jack spun to face them and let out a maniacal laugh. “I don’t think so.”

  When Jack cocked his gun, Layla spluttered and gasped. She pried at his forearm, begging him to ease his grip.

  Fear spun wildly inside her. “Leave Robby alone!” she cried.

  “Leave with me,” Jack murmured against her neck. His lips brushed her skin. His touch made her stomach heave. “That’s all I want.”

  Layla’s breathing came in rapid-fire bursts. Her gaze darted to Blake, a desperate plea in her eyes.

  The air caught in her lungs at the look on Blake’s face. Shock and horror twisted his features. She could practically see his thoughts spinning, calculating whether to risk a bullet for Rob, to wrestle Layla free, or to talk Jack down from his crazed state.

  Suddenly Blake’s eyes clouded over. His muscles tensed. Body poised, he looked ready to spring into action.

  She had to do something. Or she’d lose two more people she loved. Her heart shuddered. No t again. I can’t live through the nightmare all over again .

  Their fates could be decided in this moment.

  Sweating, trembling, she felt panic throbbing in every limb. She couldn’t let it all come to this. Blake didn’t even know she loved him. She’d never said the words.

  Steeling herself, Layla vowed she’d take a bullet before she let Jack take the life of the man she loved. Violently twisting against Jack’s grasp, she fought with all her strength. As if his name held her salvation, she cried out, “Blake!”

  Suddenly headlights blinded them. Squinting against the glare, Layla barely made out the shape of Tanner’s truck that filled the alley. They were blocked in between Jack’s abandoned cop car and the truck.

  Jack wrenched her arm painfully. But in the next second his fingers opened and Layla sprang free. She hit the ground, rolled to a crouch and looked up.

  Blake held Jack by the throat. “You lose, Johnson. You son-of-a-bitch.”

  Behind them, Agent Staid’s men rushed forward.

  In the thick beams of light she saw Jack raise his weapon. A gunshot ripped across her eardrum. Tore her heart in two.

  To her surprise, Jack slumped to the ground.

  The image of FBI agents tackling him to the ground was the last Layla ever wanted to see of Jack Johnson.

  Still standing whole and unscathed, Blake turned to her.

  Layla’s strength gave out. When she collapsed, Blake caught her. He held her so tight she could barely breathe. She didn’t care, as long as he promised never to let go.

  “I promise,” he whispered. “I won’t let you go.”

  Relief left her lungs in a shaky sigh. With what strength remained, she hugged him back. “I need you. I love you .”

  He lifted his head to look into her eyes. “You don’t have to say it if you aren’t ready.”

  “Yes, I do,” she insisted. “Staring down the barrel of Jack’s gun, I was so afraid I’d never get the chance to tell you. I was more afraid of that than I was of Jack. I love you, Blake.”

  He lowered his mouth to hers and sealed the promise with a kiss so thorough it banished the doubts from her heart.

  A shadow hovered nearby. Agent Staid’s voice filtered through the chaos around them. “Miss Farrell, you and your brother define grace under pressure.”

  Blake nodded. “Don’t ever do that again,” he demanded around another kiss.

  “Is Jack in custody now?” Layla asked Staid.

  The agent confirmed, “If Officer Johnson survives the trip to the hospital, we’ll ensure he stays behind bars for life.”

  “Then the bastard better live,” Blake growled.

  Rob raced over, joining in their hug.

  Tanner exited the truck, walked up and slapped his brother on the shoulder. “Looks like happily ever after to me. Guess I was right. You two make a good team.”

  Layla cupped Blake’s strong jaw. “When you first came into my life you seemed too good to be true. It was so hard to trust all the things you told me then. But I’m ready to believe now.”

  He bathed her in a loving glance. “I admire how strong you are, Layla. But I want to be by your side. You don’t have to do this alone.”

  Too moved to speak, she nodded in grateful acceptance.

  Angling her face up to his, he whispered passionately, “I want to spend my life with you.”

  All the loss she’d experienced in her life faded under the fullness of this mome
nt. At last, she knew the truth in her heart.

  “The most amazing dreams come true, if you let yourself believe.”

  The emotion in his eyes warmed her down to her soul.

  “Believe it, baby.”

  “I do.”

  “Just remember to say that on our wedding day, and we’re good.”

  “Getting a little ahead of yourself there?” she teased.

  “If I asked you to marry me right now, would you say yes?”

  Tears glittered in her eyes. Everything felt so right.

  She said, “Yes.”

  Epilogue

  It was the moment Layla had been dreading.

  Her brother stood before her in their living room, motorcycle keys in hand. Determination hardened his blue eyes as he met her gaze. Without seeking permission, he told her, “I’m going on a stakeout with Officer Waller.”

  Layla opened her mouth, then closed it. She had no right to deny him his freedom. He was eighteen now, responsible for his own life, his own choices.

  Just three days ago, upon returning to Cleveland from their incredible journey to and from Sturgis, Rob had shown up right on time for his court date. He’d been absolved of his past transgressions and celebrated his entrance into adulthood. Now that his record was clear, and he’d made the investment with his own money into Police Academy training, he was signed up and ready to go in two weeks.

  Shadowing an undercover police officer could be dangerous, but Rob had proven himself with the undercover mission that had led him to Sturgis. He had six months of field work under his belt. He was a capable, confident young man.

  It was time to give him support as he struck out on his own. Taking a deep breath, she managed a smile. “Okay, Rob.”

  He nodded. “I’ll be back when his shift’s over at two a.m.”

  Layla folded her arms. “What about your curfew?”

  Rob mirrored her crossed-arm stance. “What about it?”

  The sound of a cork popping echoed in the kitchen. The clink of glasses came closer as Blake rounded the corner into the living room. Remembering what Blake had said—about sitting on her porch with her while she told him about her dreams, about the times he’d left his door open for her—she found herself momentarily distracted from Rob’s defiance.